


Bondbreaker

by uofmdragon



Category: Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Consent Issues, F/M, General Warning for Consent Issues, M/M, Soul Bond, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-28
Updated: 2013-03-28
Packaged: 2017-12-06 18:46:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/738920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uofmdragon/pseuds/uofmdragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are three types of people:  The Bonded, the Matchmakers, and the Bondbreakers.  Bonded are those looking that are looking for their soulmates, have met them, or lost them.  Matchmakers are those that have lost their soulmates and have developed the ability to read another's bond to find the missing mate.  Bondbreakers are a rarity and considered an abomination  due to their ability to break a bond.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bondbreaker

**Author's Note:**

> Beta'd by Exfatalist.
> 
> General Warning for Consent issues - see the end notes for details.

_It's said that there are three types of people in this world. The first are the Bonded, who are divided into three group: those who have found their bondmates, those who are still looking for their bondmates, and those that have lost their bondmates. The Bonded all have a mark on their inside of their wrist that symbolizes their partner; the symbol may change as the bondmate changes. When the bondmates meet the mark changes color and when a bondmate dies the mark becomes smeared. If bondmates never meet when the other dies it often leaves them sensitive to the bonds of others and they become Matchmakers. Matchmakers are the second group. The third type is the rarest and considered the evilest, most vile types of people, Bondbreakers, those that have the power to break a bond. They don't have a bonded out there waiting for them, they never did. In the past those that were thought to be a Bondbreaker were put to death and could be easily found due to the lack of mark on their wrist. Over time Bondbreakers have learned to hide their abilities and themselves..._

*

"Oh, come on Cap," Tony cajoled, "We all want to know who it was, you keep looking at your wrist and sighing."

"It's... private," Steve insisted. Clint silently agreed with Stark that if Cap was going to brood in the middle of breakfast about losing his bonded, then he better be prepared to talk about it... or at least find something shiny to distract Stark with.

"Oh, come on, we can all sit around and tell stories about bonded or potential bonded," Tony encouraged.

"What are we, the stereotypical teenage girl in movies, sitting around, dreaming about their bonded while we do each other nail's and hair?" Natasha asked.

Tony paused to look at her, "No, but that is an excellent idea."

"You want us to have a slumber party?" Bruce asked, looking up from his plate.

"Yes, Jolly Green," Tony says. "We'll get pizza and watch those stereotypical teenage girl movies."

Bruce stared at Tony for a long moment, before sighing, "Alright."

"Really?" Clint asked, looking surprised that Bruce gave in so quickly.

"He's just going to annoy everyone until he gets his way," Bruce explained. "Might as well as agree and let him annoy one of you."

"But if we all say 'no'..." Clint pointed out.

Bruce shook his head, "He'll wear us down one by one."

Clint considered, before nodding, "Point, I'm in."

"Traitor," Natasha growled as Tony crowed in delight, "Two in, Thor?"

"I do not understand what is going on," Thor asked, looking around the table for an explanation.

"Everyone has a Bonded on Midgard and Tony wants to share stories about ours," Coulson explained, setting the paper down.

"Bonded?" Thor asked.

"Soulmate," Clint suggested.

Thor nodded, "And you know this how?"

"We can tell by the marks on the inside of our wrist." Phil reached for Clint's hand and flipped it over to reveal the sniper scope markings on the inside of his wrist. The tattoo looked like a Bonded marking, and was apparently good enough to fool Phil. It was the best money Clint had spent in his whole life, even if it had bankrupted him at the time. "This is what it looks like when it first comes in until you find your bonded. It'll stay like this until Clint finds his bonded."

"If Clint finds his Soulmate," Clint put in, as Thor inspected the mark, "Not that he wants to." Phil's fingers tightened slightly, because he knew that Clint wasn't looking for his bonded and was happy how he was.

"If Clint stumbles upon his bonded," Phil agreed, as he rolled his own wrist over to reveal the smeared symbol, like someone had drew a picture in chalk and then ran their finger over it. "This is what it looks like when your bonded dies."

"So you have no chance for love again?" Thor asked.

"No," Coulson said quickly and Clint couldn't help but smile slightly at that. "I know lots of people that have gotten together after their Soulmates dies or who gave up on finding that special someone."

"Tis a strange custom," Thor stated, moving to look. "Though I have no stories to share, I would hear more of it, I shall join you in your feast."

"That's three," Tony said, "Actually four with me, I think this is becoming a team bonding event. I know how you love team bonding, Steve, C'mon..."

Steve shot a silent plea toward Natasha and Coulson. Natasha studied Tony for a moment, before offering, "Only if I get to paint your fingernails Stark."

"My fingernails?" Tony asked.

"If we are being stereotypical teenage girls, then I get to point your nails," Natasha answered. Clint had a feeling that Tony would back down at this and Tony clearly hesitated, but ultimately agreed, "No pink?"

"Please," Natasha stated.

"Deal," Tony agreed, "That makes five. Is definitely turned into a team bonding activity now."

"Fine," Steve agreed, looking at them and shaking his head, clearly disappointed.

Stark turned to look at Coulson. "Coulson? Agent? Phil?"

"I'm your handler, not actually a part of this team," Coulson stated.

"Yeah, not going to fly, is it Cap?" Tony asks.

"Sorry, Sir, but like Tony said, it's officially a team thing, which means attendance is mandatory," Steve said. 

"Fine," Coulson said, looking none too pleased.

"Tonight then?" Tony asked and there was a round of agreements, before they slipped away from the breakfast table.

*

They ate and drank their way through one movie, before Tony declared that it was time to start sharing and grabbed an empty glass and have everyone write their names on a sheet of paper, which he handed over to Thor to draw the first one. Natasha disappeared for a moment, before coming back with some nail polish and glaring Tony into his seat and getting to work on his nails.

"Lady Natasha, the slip of paper bears your name," Thor said, looking at her.

"Its not a very long story," Natasha warned as she started painting Tony's nails what looked to be fire engine red.

"If we all have to do this, then you have to too," Clint pointed out. Natasha glanced back at him, eyes narrowed for a brief moment.

"My mark appeared, I think I was 7 at the time," Natasha admitted. The others gave her a surprised look, because that was really early. Most bonds didn't appear until both members had started going through puberty. 

Clint considered, "You were still in the..."

"Yes," Natasha agreed. "I was being trained as an assassin in the Red Room, having a bonded was not conducive to their plans."

"Not conducive?" Steve asked, frowning.

"They found a Bondbreaker," Natasha said softly. "He removed my bond, so whoever I was supposed to be with, probably believes I'm dead. I can't find them and they can't find me."

"That's horrible," Steve said, looking at her.

Natasha shrugged, "They did not want me to have distractions. You can't know what you're missing if you never have it."

"I guess," Steve agreed, still looking uncomfortable. They were all silent for a moment.

"Thor draw another one," Natasha encouraged.

"You should draw next," Tony said, softly. Natasha glared up at him. "I won't move."

She went to grab a slip of paper and smiled, "Thor."

"I do not have a tale of a bonded to speak of," Thor pointed out.

"Then just tell us a tale of love or heartbreak, that's basically all we have," Tony said, studying his nails as Natasha settled to continue her work.

Thor was quiet a moment before considering, "When my Father cast me out of Asgard, I was disoriented and did not know where I was. This was made even worse when a foul beast struck me."

"You landed in New Mexico," Clint interrupted. "What foul beast?"

"The creature was Jane's research van," Thor said and Clint couldn't hold back his chuckle. "I was incensed by my father's judgement and directed my thoughts towards the heavens. This naturally frightened the people that had come to my aid and one of them drew a tiny weapon which sparked lightning at me and in my weakened state, did fell me."

"You got hit with a taser?" Tony asked. Thor nodded. "Jane hit you with a taser?"

"Nay, Darcy did," Thor corrected with a shake of his head. "I awoke in your building of healer's and made my escape. Only to be struck by that very same foul beast upon exiting the building. Both of the times, Jane was in control of the beast."

"She hits you twice with a car in one day and you're dating her?" Clint asked.

"Aye, both times were accidents and she has apologized profusely," Thor agreed. "It has not happened again." Clint shook his head as Thor asked, "Should I draw again."

"Yeah, sure, why not," Tony encouraged.

"Coulson," Thor said, and everyone's head turned to the other end of the couch Clint was seated on.

"My mark appeared when I was twelve," Coulson answered. "I met her two years later at orientation for High School."

"High School sweethearts?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Coulson agreed.

"What was she like?" Steve asked.

"She was smart, studious, quiet," Phil said with a wistful look on his face.

"Was she hot?" Tony asked.

"To me, to others probably not," Coulson shrugged. "She didn't want to do any formal commitments until she was done with school. I agreed, didn't think there was any reason why we couldn't wait."

"So what happened to her?" Steve asked. "I mean obviously she's..."

"She was driving home in a blizzard, hit a patch of ice..." Phil shook his head. "I was at West Point when it happened. I was heartbroken at the time, but I've had enough time to mourn and move on with my life."

"You said others have found love again with non-bondmates?" Thor asked.

"They have and I've dated since then," Coulson agreed.

"Your cellist?" Tony asked.

"Yes, my cellist," Phil agreed, with a smile. Clint smiled too, and so did most of the rest of the room, except Natasha who was looking at him with an all too pleased look.

"Pass the names over, its my turn to draw." Coulson said, reaching for the glass. Steve grabbed it and passed it in his direction. Coulson made a show of swirling the names up, before finally choosing one, "Steve."

"Yes!" Tony crowed. "Answers, man."

"It was Peggy," Steve said softly, looking at his wrist. "It was there when I first woke up, but its..."

"Smeared since then?" Tony asks, gently.

"Yeah," Steve said. "I guess I was just too late. Maybe I shouldn't have hid in Brooklyn, I should have gone to find her and talked to her one last time."

"I can look her up, see what happened?" Tony offered.

"I... yeah, yeah, that'd be nice," Steve agreed with a nod. "Would you mind looking up some of the Howling Commandos while you're at it? I'd like to know how they're doing or how they did."

"Sure," Tony agreed. "Whenever you want."

"Thanks, Tony," Steve said, offering him a small smile.

"Not a problem," Tony said.

"Don't move your hands," Natasha said to Tony, "They need to dry." She got up and moved over by Clint. He let her take her hand and began painting his nails. Coulson arched an eyebrow at his nonchalance.

"I like to feel pretty," Clint answered to both Coulson's and Natasha's amusement.

"Does that make you feel pretty?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Clint answered. "Especially when she uses the sparkly polish."

"I would like to partake in being pretty," Thor said. 

Natasha turned and smiled at him, "You're next then."

"Thank you," Thor agreed.

"Clint," Steve said.

"Yes?" Clint asked.

"It's your turn."

"Oh, well, um, I got mine late when I was in my twenties actually," Clint replied. "Never really thought about looking for them, didn't really want to find them."

"Why not?" Steve asked, "Being is bonded is..."

"Can be magical, but it can also be pretty shitty," Clint stated. "My parents were bonded and my dad abused my mom, my brother, and me. My brother found his bondmate and he abused the hell out of her too, so my family doesn't exactly have the best record. I'm just going to pass." Most of that was true at least. Clint failed to mention that one night he'd come back to their RV and found Barney beating on his bondmate. Clint had snapped and had gone in to try to break them up. He had broken up the fight, but not in anyway he intended to, because he had broken their bond to break the fight. Once the circus had found out, they'd beaten him, and left him for dead. He'd gotten the tattoo a few weeks later and tried to ignore that part of him.

"So you've never wanted to find out?" Steve asked.

Clint shook his head, "Nope. I'm probably paired off with a jackass, so I might as well as stick to those that have given up like me or those that have lost theirs."

"They do say the further you are from where you went through puberty, the less likely you are to meet them," Bruce interjected.

"They do say that and I did a lot of traveling during those years," Clint pointed out. "They could be anywhere." He paused, "So what about you Bruce, what's your bonded story?"

Bruce laughed, "I don't have one. I mean I have a mark, but I never found them. I was kind of looking, but then I met Betty and..."

"You didn't want to?" Clint asked.

"Not really and she didn't want to either," Bruce said, smiling a little. "Then the Hulk came along, and I'm not sure what to think now."

"You never know, they might be willing to overlook it," Steve pointed out.

"That's the thing though, once I meet them there's no backing out of it," Bruce said. "The bond cements on the first meeting and you don't really know for sure until it happens."

"I guess," Steve agreed, somewhat reluctantly.

"You believe in happily bonded?" Clint asked.

"Yeah," Steve said. "I'm a romantic at heart I guess." He paused considering the room, "Tony?"

"Yes, Capsicle?" Tony asked, studying his nails.

"Its your turn."

"Is it?" Tony asked, glancing around the room.

"Everyone else has gone."

"Oh, I guess they have," Tony agreed. "I'm bonded." Clint glanced around the room, everyone seemed surprised by this.

"Bonded?" Steve asked. "You mean you know your bonded?"

"Yes," Tony said.

"Potts?" Clint asked.

"No, Pepper is bonded to someone else," Tony said with a slight shake of the head. "Her name is Sunset. She's the CEO of Baintronics."

"So your bonded is a competitor?" Steve asked.

"Basically, and we both want our name on the door, so we're keeping the companies separate until one of us kicks the bucket," Tony answered.

"How long have you been bonded?" Coulson asked.

"Couple of months," Tony answered. "We met at a charity gala." Clint's eyes narrowed, because there was something that the other man wasn't saying. "We see each other every once in awhile and we're happy like that."

"Congratulations," Steve said and the other followed suit. Bruce looked a little curious, but whatever it was, he decided not to mention it in front of the group. Clint glanced at Coulson, who shrugged, but Clint knew that Coulson didn't like to get involved in the cases of bonded, no one did.

*

The tower was quiet, peaceful and really Clint was enjoying the lazy afternoon after they'd run a full week of assembling each day. He had hit the range and the gym earlier, but now it was time to relax. He stretched a little, sprawling a bit more widely, so that he was in physical contact with Coulson and Natasha. His side pressed against her and one foot hooked over Phil's now. Natasha side eyed him, before going back to her book. The scritch of pencil on paper paused a moment and there was a slightly huff, before it restarted. Clint smiled, clearly his stretch had disturbed Steve's sketching, which meant he was drawing the three of them. He was surrounded, he was safe, and Clint could close his eyes and drift off.

"If you drool on me," Natasha warned. Alright, he could doze a little.

"Where is he?!" A woman shrieked, the sudden noise, caused everyone to jump to their feet, books, sketchpad, and paperwork tossed to the ground. They heard the angry clack of heels and the woman in questioned appeared in the doorway. She was every inch a high society woman from the her perfectly coiffed hair to her expensive looking shoes. She scanned them, nose rising slightly as she asked, "Where's Tony?"

"Um,.." Steve hesitated as he blushed.

"He had a meeting regarding Stark Industries," Phil answered. "I believe he'll be back later tonight, Miss..."

"Sunset Bain," The woman answered.

"You're Tony's bondmate?" Steve asked, eyes wide.

"Clearly," Sunset said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize," Steve apologized. "Would you care to join us? We were going to watch a movie."

"I have more important things to do than sit around all day," Sunset said, "If you can remember, tell Tony that I wish to speak to him and I'll be in _our_ penthouse. You can manage that can't you?"

"Um, yes," Steve said. Sunset turned on stalked out of the room. They watched her go and only when the clicking of her heels had disappeared completely did they turn back to the interior of the room and look at each other.

"I can't believe that's his soulmate," Steve said, quietly.

"It does explain why he never bothered to mention her," Phil agreed, taking a seat again. The others followed suit, though Steve still shot nervous glances at the doorway.

"Maybe she's just having a bad day?" Steve suggested.

Natasha snorted, "Its possible, but unlikely."

"Unlikely?" Steve asked.

"I did some digging when he mentioned her," Natasha explained. "She has a reputation, some of it I would attribute to her being a CEO of a company in a man's field, but I asked Pepper about her as well."

"And?" Clint prompted.

"Pepper doesn't like her, neither does Rhodey," Natasha explained. "And Happy very carefully doesn't say a bad word about her."

"Meaning he doesn't like her either," Phil agreed, tilting his head, before frowning.

"Shame," Clint murmured.

"Yeah, any changes in the rules regarding bonded?" Steve asked. "I haven't asked and I haven't looked, because well..." he indicated his wrist and Clint could just make out the smear.

"Not much change, there is a long involved court process to separate finances, but its not like you can break a bond, that's..." Coulson trailed off, shaking his head.

"Its a horrible thing to do," Steve said. "Bondbreakers are horrible people."

"A broken bond is like having one die," Natasha said, shrugging. "Except you know both of you are going on living."

"If you had a choice, would you have broken yours?" Steve asked.

"No, I don't think I would, but then I never had a chance to know mine and if they were like her..." Natasha said, pausing briefly. "I do not think I would have objected."

Steve's eyes widened slightly, "Really?"

"As Bruce said, there is no escape from your bonded once you meet them," Natasha said. "There are no laws that you can hide behind, unless its broken."

"What happens if its broken by a Bondbreaker?" Steve asked.

Coulson shrugged, "I haven't heard of it happening in years, but typically the Bondbreaker is the one that is tried and sentenced. Supposedly, it wouldn't happen if neither of the Bonded elected not to press charges, but who would do that?"

"I can't imagine," Steve shook his head, reaching down to pick his sketchbook back up. Natasha had already grabbed her book and Clint felt a slight tugging on his shirt toward Natasha, he leaned into her again as Coulson began picking his own work back up. Clint privately thought that he hoped Sunset would leave soon as he faked a relaxation he really didn't feel.

*

"YOU'RE MY BONDMATE, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GO WITH ME, YOU LAZY ASSHOLE," Sunset's screeching tirade echoed down the hallway that led to Tony's lab. Clint froze, because she wasn't supposed to be down here. Last Clint had checked she was supposed to be out. They were all keeping a careful eye on her, mainly because it was best if some stayed away (Bruce, Thor, and Natasha) and some needed to support Tony (mostly Steve, sometimes Clint or Coulson).

Clint hesitated, because he didn't want to garner Sunset's attention and be made a part of her vocal tirade, but he also didn't want Tony to have to suffer through it by himself. Going to join him might increase the length of it, though, and Clint listened closely and decided that she was winding down. It was a damn cowardly move, but his arrival would practically guarantee another ten minutes of ranting, since Clint wasn't proper company for people that came from Old Money like Stark. It was the expedient decision, because Sunset stomped her way down the hallway in less than five minutes. Clint waited for her to board the elevator, before slipping into the lab.

"Hey," Clint said, taking in the sight of the billionaire with his head hanging low.

Tony glanced up when he saw him. "Hey."

"You okay?" Clint asked.

"You heard that, huh?" Tony replied, turning his back on Clint.

"She's kind of hard to miss, except when she hits high notes that I think only dogs can hear," Clint joked.

Tony huffed, at the very least appreciating the sentiment, but not finding it particularly funny. "Yeah, well, what can you do? Bondmates..."

"I guess, yeah..." Clint agreed.

"I think you have the right idea," Tony said, turning and looking at him. "Not wanting to find yours, because you could end up with someone like that."

"I'm sorry," Clint said softly.

"I used to dream about it, you know? Think about what my bonded would be like, if they'd be male or female," Tony said softly. "Think about getting to know them, falling in love with them outside of the bond, and now all I can think of is... how can I keep her away?"

Clint moved to a seat at one of the tables, letting Tony keep his distance as he talked.

"And I can't," Tony went on, "Not fully, I'm barely able to keep my company out of her hands, but she has the right to access anything of mine."

"The armor?" Clint asked, suddenly alarmed.

"Safely out of her hands," Tony answered. "Iron Man goes to Rhodey, Pepper, and Steve, if she tries anything with it."

Clint nodded, "That's good."

"I worked hard to rebuild Stark Industries, like hell I want to hand it over to that woman," Tony growled. "The same goes with Iron Man."

Clint hesitated, before offering, "You deserve better."

"Do I?" Tony asked. "I... I've been a screw up my entire life to a degree."

Clint snorted, "Tony you graduated college before most people graduated high school. How is that a screw up?"

"I... I wasn't good enough for my parents," Tony admitted. "They shipped me off as soon as they could and Dad, I never seemed to do anything well enough for him. I was never good enough and then they died and I trusted Stane..."

"No one saw through Stane, Tony. SHIELD..."

"Had its suspicions, but no proof," Tony cut him off. He pointed at himself, "Hacked the files."

"Still..."

Tony shrugged, "I was happy when I met her, but..." He shook her head. "It doesn't matter, I'm stuck with her and there's not anything I can do to change that. I should know, I've tried everything I could."

"You tried what?" Clint asked.

"Keep a secret?" Tony asked.

"Of course," Clint said.

"Looked for a Bondbreaker. I couldn't find any evidence of one," Tony said softly.

"You looked for a Bondbreaker?" Clint asked.

"Yeah, I was going to hire one, pay for their secrecy and figure out someway to have it happen accidently. I would have set them up for life, just so I wouldn't be stuck to her."

Clint nodded, surprised by that, but found himself saying, "I won't tell anyone, not even Natasha."

"What about Coulson?" Tony asked.

"He's our handler why would I tell him?" Clint asked back.

"Because you're sleeping with him," Tony pointed out. Clint made a face, because they had been trying to keep that quiet. "Cameras everywhere, plus I caught you trying to suck his face off one night when I went to bed."

Clint blushed, "It's... new..."

"Yeah?" Tony asked, smiling at that. "He make you happy?"

"More than you know," Clint admitted with a smile. "I trust him with my life and now..."

"Sex any good? I mean, they say the quiet ones are wildcats in the bed, but...?"

Clint grinned, "You do realize that Phil Coulson traded his gun for flour once and stopped an armed robbery."

"Using the flour?!"

Clint nodded, "He's all kinds of badass, and believe me when I say that transfers to the bedroom."

"I'm never going to be able to look him at the same way now," Tony said with a laugh. Clint smiled at that, happy to see that Tony was at least distracted from his own problems.

"So arrows?" Clint asked.

"Yeah, what do you have now, what you do you want?" Tony asked. Clint started explaining what he had and what his ideas were for more.

*

It was late when Clint finally left Tony's lab, hauling a sleepy Tony with him. They'd talked about arrows, before turning back to Tony's problems with Sunset. They'd gotten a decent mutual lean going on as they stumbled towards their rooms, tired and exhausted, which Tony ruined by pulling toward the kitchen instead of the bedrooms.

"Hey," Clint objected as he let Tony go, because the kitchen was in the wrong direction.

"Light's on, Steve might be having nightmares again," Tony murmured, shambling toward the kitchen. Clint blinked and followed after him and Steve is sitting up, looking morose and drinking something.

"Tony?" Steve questioned, softly when he spotted the other man. "What are you doing up?" His eyes narrowed. "Have you even been to bed?"

"Working on new arrowheads for Clint," Tony said, sounding stupidly proud. "He's going to be so bad ass, going to put you to shame, Capsicle."

"I don't doubt it," Steve said, "But you need to get some sleep."

"Says the man who is up at whatever time it is now, drinking... warm milk? Seriously Cap?" Tony asked.

"Don't worry about me," Steve said, "I don't need as much sleep."

"You like to pretend, but you do..." Tony said. "Tell you what Cap, I go to bed, you go to bed, deal?"

Cap tried to look firm, but he seemed to soften, "Alright, I'll be up as soon as I finish my drink." He tried to turn Tony and get him to go now, but Tony squirmed and was soon seated at the table next to where Steve was sitting.

"I'll wait up then, just so you don't get distracted," Tony stated. Steve looked like he was ready to argue, but he settled with a soft, "Fine."

Clint gave them a fond look, before heading to Phil's room. The other man was sprawled across his bed. Clint stripped down, before going to snuggle in next to Phil.

"Clint?" Phil grunted, waking up slightly.

"Yeah," Clint said, nuzzling the back of Phil's neck.

"Going to bed a little late," Phil pointed out as he resettled.

"Got distracted with Tony, new arrows, so many new arrow plans," Clint informed him. 

Phil laughed softly, "Going to terrorize some pigeons?"

Clint smiled at Phil's teasing question, "Only if they ruin one of your suits."

"My hero," Phil murmured softly, before sleep claimed them both.

*

Clint liked to think of himself as a protector, that he stood up for the little guy. So the fact that Tony admitted to looking for a Bondbreaker and the fact that Clint was one, plagued him. Tony was his friend and if the relationship wasn't a bonded one, it would be considered verbally abusive, and he had a feeling that even Steve, who saw the best in people, would be encouraging Tony to break up with Sunset. It was a bonded relationship, which meant most people assumed they were perfect for one another. Due to his own experiences, Clint thought differently. Tony needed help and Clint wanted to help. He wasn't sure what he could do, because there was nothing on Bondbreakers besides how they were evil incarnate.

Matchmakers were different though. They had lost their bondmate and their loss made them open to others bonds. Clint read up on them and discovered that they had a way of seeing bonds, so he slipped out of the Tower on a Saturday, and went to a park. He got a cup of coffee to sip and settled on a bench to people watch. He found he could see others' bonds and found that the world of bonds varied by color. With a little observation he was able to determine that there was the gold-looking bonds were those that had found their bondmates and the blue-ish purple belonged to those that were still looking. He went out a couple of times each week to watch and try to figure out where he fit in.

Then came the time that he caught sight of a sickly green looking bond. It was the first time he'd spotted and he decided to follow the person it was connected to. He vaguely remembered pulling a greenish cord, before breaking his brother's bond. The person he followed ended up being in a relationship much like Barney's had been, with one taking advantage of the other. He caught sight of a few other sickly green bonds and followed as many as he could. They were all the same, couples that were bonded, but one of the bondmates was taking advantage of the other.

*

Over the months that Clint stalked the sickly green bonds throughout the streets of New York City, he ended up getting involved in more than one gang dispute and getting kidnapped a couple times. (Phil was less than amused by having to save his ass, but he was very grateful that Clint came back alive.) Clint had gotten in the habit of having to save himself after being kidnapped. Clint did not consider having to save Tony from AIM a nice change of pace and wondered briefly if this is what his teammates went through when he'd been kidnapped as he raced through the facility that SHIELD had identified as the one holding Tony. He ducked down one hallway, "Still no signs, Sir."

"Thor and Hulk are making sure no one takes off with him, he has to be in there," Coulson's voice came through his earpiece.

"I'm not giving up," Clint promised, before he heard the scream. Clint pushed himself a little harder further and slammed the door open. One of the Ten Rings members was poised above Stark, pulling the arc reactor out. Clint didn't hesitate, letting the arrow go, killing the terrorist. Clint went to assure that Tony was still alive and get the arc reactor back in place.

"Got him," Clint radioed in, giving his coordinates. He paused, glancing at the thug, before looking at Tony's bond. It was the sickly green kind. Clint hadn't looked, not before, because he didn't know if he could handle his newfound knowledge with the fact that Tony had it and not do something about it. He could do something about it now and place the blame on the dead terrorist, there was no way he could be implicated as a Bondbreaker. He hesitated, because he had no way of knowing if Tony would actually consent to such a thing now.

Sunset hadn't changed, they'd seen her last week and they still tried to make sure that he knew he was a good person, despite the verbal abuse. Clint bit his lip, weighing the options quickly, before reaching out and destroying the bond between the pair. Tony gasped in surprise, but this time at least Clint was prepared for the backlash, was braced for the actually breaking unlike his one and only time before when he'd accidentally broke Barney's bond.

"Hawkeye," Captain America said, entering the room. Clint had done it just in time. He wasn't sure if there were any visible effects, and he couldn't help, but feel guilty.

"I got him, he's alive," Clint said.

"Thank God," Cap said, going over to check on Tony, before lifting him up. "Cover our retreat?"

"Yeah," Clint agreed with a nod and they got out of there.

*

It was common for the team to gather outside of the hospital room while one of them was being checked out until they regained consciousness. If they were in bad shape, then only Cap and Coulson would go in for a few minutes, before ushering the team away. Clint was sitting quietly, his eyes on Tony's room. No one had changed out of their battle gear, except for Bruce who was wearing SHIELD track pants and a SHIELD sweatshirt.

Clint glanced away from the room when he heard the click of heels, both Pepper and Sunset came around the corner. Sunset glared at all of them.

"Steve, you said Tony was alive on the phone," Pepper stated calmly

"That is such bullshit, bonds don't lie, he's dead," Sunset snapped.

"What?" Steve asked.

"I assure you, Ms. Bain we were able to rescue Mr. Stark, he's injured, but he's going to be fine," Coulson said.

"Then explain this!" Sunset said, holding up her wrist to reveal a smeared mark. She smirked, "No bond, no Tony, which means I'm in charge" She looked at Pepper, "And you're fired."

Steve stared at the mark in horror, before rushing into Tony's room, "Doctor?"

Coulson watched him, "Why don't you take a seat Ms. Bain and tell me what happened."

"I will not, I want his death certificate," Sunset said.

"You don't sound very upset about losing him," Clint growled.

"Aye," Thor agreed.

"You all will be getting your eviction notices shortly," Sunset growled back.

"Tony's alive," Steve said, coming back to the doorway. "His mark is smeared too."

"What?!" Sunset asked, finally looking upset about something.

"Perhaps AIM decided to hurt Tony by your breaking your bond," Natasha suggested to Sunset and Clint never loved her more than in that moment.

"If that's the case, then you have no rights to anything of Tony's," Coulson pointed out, standing and moving to go into the room. Steve let him pass, but when Sunset tried, Steve blocked her.

"He's my bonded!" She shrieked.

"Not anymore," Steve stated.

"I deserve to know what's going on," Sunset said.

"If you want to, then take a seat," Steve said. "You can find out with the rest of the team."

"If we're not bonded, then get her the hell out of here," Tony shouted from in his room.

"I guess he's alright then," Clint murmured to Natasha.

"Looks like it," Natasha agreed. She jerked her head and Thor moved, 

"Lady Sunset, your presence is upsetting my brother in arms, you may leave of your own or I will be forced to remove you," Thor said. Sunset looked between the two, before stomping off. The team didn't wait until they piled into the room with Pepper.

Tony smiled up at them, "Hey, AIM did something decent for once."

"You're happy about this?" Steve asked, going over to him.

"I get to boot her out of my life," Tony pointed out. "Something I would have done a while ago if not for the bond, so yeah, somewhat."

"But someone broke your bond," Steve pointed out.

Tony shrugged, patting Steve's hand, "Steve, honestly, I would have done it if I could find a Bondbreaker, they did me a favor."

Clint, carefully, didn't let any of the relief he felt show on his face.

*

"Was it you?" Natasha asked as Clint entered his darkened room. He jumped, startled, because he could have sworn she was still with the main group, gathered around Tony. Tony who had insisted on coming home, because he was mostly fine. 

"What do you mean?" Clint asked, flipping the light on to reveal Natasha seated on the edge of his bed.

"That broke Tony's bond," Natasha explained.

"What?" Clint asked, putting on his best 'Are you nuts' face. 

"You have a tattoo," Natasha stated.

"Yeah, you were there when I got it," Clint reminded her, because the fake bondmark wasn't his only ink.

"You have a tattoo instead of a bondmark," Natasha explained. "Did you break Tony's bond?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Clint said, playing as dumb as he could.

Natasha's eyes narrowed, before she stood, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek, "If you did, you did good." With that she left the room. Clint stared after her as she left and pushed down the urge to panic. It wasn't made any easier when Phil opened the door a moment later and looked at him.

"Are you alright?" Phil asked. "You looked like you've seen a ghost."

"I'm... fine, I just..." Clint shook his head, not knowing how to explain. It was enough for Phil to come over and wrap his arms around him. Clint leaned into the other man, pulling him close.

"It's okay, you're safe," Phil murmured, hands sweeping over his back in an attempt to soothe him. Clint wasn't safe, Natasha was on to him and if she figured it out or worse Phil, who'd given him this chance with more. Phil waited until Clint to get control of himself again, before he pulled back and asked, "What happened?"

"It... It doesn't matter," Clint murmured, pulling back.

"Clint..." Phil said softly.

"I don't want to talk about it," Clint said.

"Okay," Phil said, pulling back, but not thankfully not away. "Let's get some sleep."

Clint nodded, before heading back toward the bed. They undressed quickly and climbed into bed. Only when they were wrapped around each other did Phil quietly whisper, "Clint, you know there's nothing you can say that would change how I feel about you."

"Sure, Phil," Clint agreed, but he didn't believe it.

"Nothing Clint," Phil insisted, before leaning down to kiss him. Clint made a soft noise as Phil deepened it and Clint let Phil's talented tongue drive the point home.

*

Over the next few months, Clint kept a close lid on talking anything about bond related matter unless he was questioned and then he stuck to his story. Natasha didn't ask him again, and neither did Coulson. It made life that much easier.

Tony bounced back better than most of them expected. Clint never saw a reason to regret his decision to break the bond between Sunset and Tony. If anything, Tony seemed to be doing better. Steve had hovered, at least, Clint thought it was hovering until he went down to visit Tony in the lab and found Steve pressing Tony against the wall as the two kissed. Clint hoped they were kissing, either that then they were trying to eat the other's faces. Clint had left them to it, slipping away as quietly as he had entered.

They were a team. Gradually the loss of Tony's bond was forgotten about or at least pushed to the back of their minds, replaced with new threats and new losses. 

*

Clint frowned as he made his way to the table and discovered that all the seats next to Phil were taken. He mock-pouted at the other man who simply smiled at him. He settled across from the other man, taking Tony's usual seat, who was the only one missing.

"You can't sit next to Coulson, so you're not going let Tony sit next to me?" Steve asked, looking semi-amused.

"Only fair," Clint said. Fully prepared for Tony to show up to dinner at the last moment and start complaining.

"You're doing this just to irritate him, aren't you?" Steve asked.

"Maybe," Clint said, as Tony entered, "Hey, you're in my spot."

"Then you should have been on time," Clint said. Tony looked around the table for support, but no one would give it to him. Tony took the seat next to Clint, grumbling softly to himself.

"Anyone want to say a few words before we eat?" Steve asked.

"I would be happy to," Thor said.

"Alright right Thor, why don't you go first and I'll go last unless there's someone else," Steve glanced around the table, but there weren't any takers. Steve liked to pray before their weekly team dinner, but always offered the floor to others so that no belief system was left out. Normally only Thor took him up on that offer and they had learned to let Thor go first, so that Steve knew whether or not to do a shorter or longer verse. Steve held out his hands and they all took the hands next to him.

Clint didn't know what it was, maybe because he'd been napping on the couch following a relaxing massage by Phil, maybe it was that Thor's particular prayer was fairly rhythmic, but Clint slowly relaxed into a place in his mind where he could see the bonds around him. The purple of Bruce's bond, and surprisingly the various shades of the broken bonds. Clint had never really looked for those, never thought he could see them, but there they were. Clint was surprised by them and with him holding Steve's and Tony's hands, those were the ones he could see the easiest. Those colors were similar right at the tips, he pulled them together and discovered that they were almost exactly the same color. It was incredible, and he wondered if others tips were that close to being the same color. As he wondered that, the bonds started to merge...

It was pure reaction to pull them back apart, eyes snapping open as both Steve and Tony gasped, eyes darting to one another as they yanked their hands free as they were suddenly ready for a fight.

"What was that?" Steve asked, looking around the table to see if anyone else was affected.

"What was what?" Coulson asked.

"I felt it," Tony said, rubbing at his wrist. "Felt like I was _bonding_ to someone and then it broke again."

"Yeah," Steve agreed with a nod. "What the hell was that?"

"It felt like you were bonding?" Coulson asked.

"Like when I first met Peggy," Steve explained.

Clint wanted to run, because it was kind of his fault. He didn't know what exactly he'd done, but it was his fault. He didn't move, trying to shrink into his chair, it didn't work though, because as Steve filled Coulson and the other in, he got an elbow in his side and Tony showing him his wrist.

"Does that look like...?" Tony asked softly.

"Steve's shield," Clint whispered softly. It was blurred as if it hadn't quite finished, before being swept away. Sunset's mark was gone though, completely.

"What?" Steve asked, head jerking toward them.

"The mark it looks more like it would go to you," Tony says, and Clint has to move out of the way, so that Steve can lean over and see it.. Steve stared at Tony's mark, before looking at his own. "It changed."

"May I?" Tony asked, reaching for Steve's wrist. He looked when Steve extended it, "That looks like the arc reactor." The others gathered to look and Clint slipped away to panic quietly.

*

"Clint," Phil's soft voice, cut through his thoughts. Clint opened his eyes to find Phil standing in the middle of the range and looking the direction of the outcropping that Clint was hiding behind. "Will you please come down so we can talk?"

Clint didn't say anything, trying to pretend that he wasn't there.

"I did ask Jarvis where you were, Clint," Phil said after a lengthy pause. "But if you feel more comfortable up there then stay up there." There was just a twinge of disappointment in Phil's voice. There was a moment of silence, before Phil started talking again, "You know when I was given your file, there was a concern that someone was blackmailing you. You didn't have much, and your accounts weren't that large. I followed the money to a small town in Minnesota to a woman by the name of Casey Walker and her young son."

If Clint could have frozen any further then he would have. He still sent money to Casey, his brother's former bondmate, and his nephew. He hadn't known she was pregnant when the bond had been broken. He'd been unable to find out what had happened to her after he'd been kicked out of the circus. Once he'd gotten on his feet again, he had looked and he had found her. He didn't know if his brother had tossed her aside or if she'd left him, but Clint had convinced her to let him help, because her son was his nephew.

"-She wouldn't say a word about you," Phil was in the process of saying. "But she didn't come from thin air, so I looked into her and found her parents. They were willing to talk. They told me her daughter had met her bondmate at a circus, a Barney Barton. Her mark was smeared, Clint, and I knew he was alive then, so at some point she came across a Bondbreaker and I knew that you'd been kicked out of the circus when you were one of the headliners, so whatever reason for them to kick you out, it had to have been big. I've had my suspicions for years. I didn't care then and I don't care now."

"Suspicions aren't the same thing as knowing," Clint pointed out, cringing when he realized he gave away his position.

"Clint, Bain was on the phone when the bond was severed. I compared the records, you'd already reported in that you'd found Tony when his bond was severed. I've known for months and I was willing to wait until you were ready to tell me, even if you never told me."

"Why now?" Clint asked.

"Because it looks like there was a half-formed bond between Tony and Steve before it was broken," Phil said. "They want to know what happened, and so do I. I'll tell them, if you'll tell me, or you can tell them yourself. Regardless, I won't let them hurt you, Clint. The two of us, we're in this for the long haul."

Clint peered around the barrier to look at Phil, who met his eyes. "I don't want you to get hurt, because of me," Clint stated. Phil lifted an eyebrow. "Right, you're a badass, I don't have to worry about you."

"Can I come up?" Phil requested.

"Yeah," Clint agreed. He couldn't resist peeking around the barrier to watch Phil as he climbed up. It wasn't often that Phil practiced here and Clint liked to admire the efficient movements of his lover. He tucked himself next to Clint and wrapped an arm around him, giving Clint the opportunity to pull away, if he wanted to. Clint didn't, he leaned in and rested his head on Phil's shoulder. He wasn't too surprised to feel Phil's lips gently press a kiss to his forehead.

Phil let them sit like that for a long while, before quietly he requsted that Clint speak with a simple, "Talk to me, Barton." It was a familiar phrase, one that made Clint feel more comfortable.

"I don't know what happened with Steve and Tony," Clint admitted. "I mean, I kind of do, but I'm not sure how to explain it."

"Try," Phil requested.

"It's more than just a mark on the skin, there's like an actual connection and I can see them when I concentrate real hard," Clint explained. "I never looked before the Avengers, but Tony made the comment about looking for a Bondbreaker and... Well, I started looking at bonds and I noticed that there were these bonds that were like this puke green color and a lot of those relationships were just bad for the ones involved."

"Tony's and Sunset's?" Phil asked.

"Puke green, I didn't break anyone else's and I wouldn't, but Tony's my friend and that relationship with Sunset was bad for him. He knew it and..."

"Sunset knew it, but would never agree to it," Phil finished for him.

"Yeah," Clint agreed with a nod. "So, I pulled Tony's when I thought I could blame it on the dead AIM goon. He's happier and I'd do it again."

"I think I would have encouraged you to do it sooner if I knew Tony wanted out," Coulson said softly. "So what happened today."

"The loose ends are like all different colors and I kind of noticed that Tony's and Steve's were similar and I pulled them into compare and they just started... merging," Clint said. "I panicked, because I didn't know what was happening."

"So you broke it as it was happening?" Phil asked.

"I didn't mean to, I didn't want to break anything," Clint admitted.

"It's okay," Phil murmured. 

"What the hell am I going to do Phil?" Clint asked, looking at him.

"What do you want to do?" Phil asked back.

"I don't know..." Clint said, whine evident to even his ears. "I just wanna be me and not have to worry about being a Bondbreaker." Phil kissed his forehead softly and Clint couldn't help, but feel it was a reward for something, so he asked, "What was that for?"

"Admitting it to me," Phil said. "I don't want you to be scared; I don't want you to feel like you have to hide from your team."

"I like those things," Clint said.

"I think, you should tell the team. They know something is the matter, but I don't think even Natasha has any idea about this... Bond-making?"

"That night after Tony, she confronted me about being a Bondbreaker..."

"I figured and I told her to back off, you'd tell us when you were ready."

Clint smiled, "Watching my back, sir?"

"Always," Phil promised. 

"You think I should tell them?" Clint asked.

"I do, I think it would be best to come from you," Phil murmured.

"Can it wait until tomorrow?" Clint asked.

"When tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow morning, ten?" Clint suggested.

"Alright," Phil agreed. "Jarvis, let the team know that we'll have a team meeting at ten am tomorrow and that Clint and I will be going to bed shortly and that I encourage the others get a good night's sleep."

"We're going to bed?" Clint asked softly.

"I told you, me and you, long haul," Phil said softly.

"You really don't care?"

"No," Phil said, "I know what kind of man you are, you're not evil, you're one of the best men I know and I know Captain Fucking America." Clint smiled, because he believed Phil when he said that.

*

"So, yeah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Clint said softly, refusing to look around the room and instead looking at his knee where Coulson's hand rested. He hadn't looked up since he started talking and surprisingly none of them had interrupted.

"Thank you for telling us," Steve finally said. Coulson squeezed his leg at that.

"Thanks for getting rid of Sunset," Tony added.

"So you've only broken two bonds in your life?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah," Clint answered, "Unless you count Steve and Tony."

"Two and a half bonds then?" Bruce suggested. "But only recently you've seen these colors to the bonds?"

"I really didn't start looking until Tony mentioned that he looked for Bondbreakers," Clint admitted. "Then I started noticing that most of them were orangey gold or blue-ish purple, except for a few."

"Which were a sickly green?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah, like puke green, maybe moldy lettuce?" Clint suggested, glancing up at him. "It just had this bad vibe to it."

Bruce nodded and fell silent as he considered it. 

"And my bond with Sunset was like that?" Tony asked.

"Yeah," Clint agreed. "But I didn't look until we were in the AIM base. I didn't want to know when there wasn't anything I could do about it."

"Makes sense," Steve said with a nod.

Clint glanced around the room, Bruce was still lost in thought, Thor looked confused, Steve seemed mildly uncomfortable, but it wasn't any worse than when Tony gave him some new tech and explained how to use it as fast as he could and ended with a warning that it could explode if Steve used it wrong. Tony also seemed happy and Natasha... Natasha seemed pleased. Clint hesitated, before he pointed out, "You all are taking this really well."

"Because Natasha threatened our balls last night," Tony replied. Clint saw the warning glare that Natasha tossed at them, but Tony either didn't see it or he didn't care. "She gave us what she thought we were talking about today and it turned out to be pretty on the money and told us, 'We had one night to get over our issues and be ready to accept you in the morning." Tony paused, "Little did she know, that I frankly am glad that you are and you did something."

"I do not understand why we would not accept you," Thor said. "You are our friend, you have always been this way, and it is a sign of trust that you choose to tell us, yes?"

"Yes," Natasha answered before Clint could say anything.

"You're really not mad about this even though a Bondbreaker broke yours before you even had a chance to find yours?" Clint asked Natasha.

Natasha's eyes narrowed, "The only thing I am upset about is that you took so long to tell me." She muttered something under her breath, before she stood and went over to him, so she could wrap her arms around him. "You're an idiot and if you think I would blame you for what someone else did, you're a bigger idiot than I thought you were."

Clint relaxed into the hug, "Thanks, Tasha."

She kissed his forehead, before pulling away and resettling next to him. Clint's eyes drifted to Steve and he arched an eyebrow.

"Why do you guys always think I'm going to freak out?" Steve asked.

"Because you're from the forties, so we expect you to have morals like old people," Tony quipped, before he mockingly croaked, "Back in my day..."

Steve glared at him out of the corner of his eye, "I'm an art student from the forties."

"No one likes Bondbreakers, Steve," Clint pointed out.

"And I wouldn't be comfortable if you were going around breaking bonds all willy nilly..."

"Willy nilly?" Tony interrupted.

"But you've only broken two in your lifetime," Steve said. "And... it almost sounds like you could create new ones?"

"Maybe, I don't know, that's never happened before," Clint said.

"But you never really tried before?" Bruce asked.

Clint shook his head, "No."

"Do you want to?" Tony asked.

"What?" Clint asked, looking at him.

"Do you want to see if you can?" Tony asked. "Steve and I talked last night, we agreed, we'd be willing to try it."

"Really?" Clint asked surprised.

Tony looked up at Steve, "Couldn't think of anyone else I'd want to be bonded to."

Steve smiled softly, leaning in to kiss him. "Neither can I."

"So what do you say?" Tony asked, "Give it a try?"

"I... guess," Clint said, looking at Phil. Phil seemed surprised, but nodded in agreement.

"What do you want us to do?" Steve asked.

"Just stay still?" Clint suggested, before he looked. He tried to reach for the ends of their bonds, but he couldn't. It just didn't have the same feeling and Clint finally shook his head. "I can't, something's not right."

"You were holding their hands last night," Bruce pointed out.

"We were," Clint agreed, a bit reluctantly, because he had Phil right there.

"How about we circle up on the floor?" Steve suggested, nudging Tony to get up.

"Um, sure," Clint said as the other two came most of the way, so that Clint could slip off the couch. Tony and Steve extended their hands and Clint took them. He tried again and it still wasn't right, he tried and jumped slightly when he felt Phil's hand on the back of his neck. 

"Relax," Phil said, a soft puff of air on Clint's ear as the fingers dug in just enough to breaking up the tension that Clint hadn't realized was going on. Clint concentrated on Phil's fingers while taking several deep breathes, before he tried again. This time he was able to catch them, get them close enough and they went together like magnets. Clint kept the sight on until he was sure that it had worked and then opened his eyes to real world. Tony and and Steve were staring at one another, looking besotted.

"It worked," Clint said softly.

"Yeah," Steve agreed. "Um... do you mind if, I, uh..."

"We need to go have sex now," Tony stated, getting to his feet as Steve blushed.

"Tony..."

Clint chuckled, leaning back on the couch to look up at Phil, "Thanks."

"Not a problem," Phil said, sliding his hand out from where Clint had pinned it, so that he could run it through Clint's hair.

"Huh," Bruce said, head tilted. Clint gave him a questioning look. "Just questions..."

"Questions...?"

"Well, you know Tony and Steve, we've been a team for over a year now and have lived together for that long as well. Was it all of us living together that made you able to do bond them? Could you do it with someone you didn't know?" Bruce rattled off. "Could other Bondbreakers do this or are you unique even among them?"

"No idea," Clint stated.

Bruce ducked his head, "I wasn't really looking for answers Clint, I was just talking out loud."

"They're interesting questions," Clint agreed, "But I'm not sure I want to get involved in breaking or putting together bonds."

"Understandable," Bruce agreed. "I'm fairly sure, you'd get a bunch of religious nuts complaining you're going against god's will, breaking the bonds that he made to forge new ones."

"Might be worth trying to find another Bondbreaker to see if they can do this though," Natasha pointed out.

"Tony looked for one," Clint said. "He couldn't find any."

"Tony and I have vastly different ways of looking," Natasha pointed out. "Find some couples that would like to be bonded, let someone else take the credit for finding it?"

"You sound like you want to rebrand the Bondbreakers," Clint stated.

"Well, you aren't a just a Bondbreaker, you're also a Bondmaker," Natasha said.

"A Bondfixer, he fixes nature's mistakes," Phil suggested.

"I like that," Natasha said, getting up.

"She's going to change the world," Clint said, watching her leave.

"Does that surprise you at all?" Phil asked.

Clint considered it, "No, not really."

"You know," Phil said. "If you wanted to try it again with some people you don't know as well, Jasper might be interested."

"Sitwell?" Clint asked.

Phil nodded, "Jasper never met his and Jenny's died in the same accident that took her leg. Both of them are trustworthy, if you want to try it."

"I guess I could," Clint said. "I mean if that's what they want, I don't want to do it to people that don't want it..."

"Of course not, I'll talk to Jasper about it," Phil said.

"Does he...?" Clint asked.

"No, he doesn't," Phil said, "And we'll only tell people that you trust until then Steve's and Tony's bond will be a freak accident."

"We could blame it on Asgardian magic?" Thor suggested.

Coulson considered, "I was thinking we could keep it quiet for now, but if it does becomes public knowledge, then." Clint tilted his head to rest it against Coulson's knee as Bruce, Thor, and Phil talked, gradually shifting to other topics.

*

It took Clint a week to be ready to try again. Coulson didn't talk to Jasper until he was ready and then began feeling him out. From there it was another couple of weeks, before Jasper and Jenny arrived at the Tower. By that time, Natasha had found another Bondbreaker, Lisa, who watched the proceedings with interest. She was ready to go and ready to try it on her own afterward and already had some friends waiting for her to try to bond. None of them were surprised when she called Natasha later that night to inform her of her success. 

That night Clint lay in bed, trying to find the loose piece that would allow him to bond as he waited for Phil to join him. He was having difficulty finding it, and it was frustrating, because it had to be there somewhere, didn't it?

"Whatever you're trying to do, its probably not going to work," Phil said, breaking his concentration. "You're looking a bit too much like Grumpy Cat."

Clint opened his eyes and looked across the room, arching an eyebrow, "Grumpy Cat?"

"Grumpy Cat," Phil reiterated with a nod. "Do I want to know what you're trying to do?"

"I was trying to find my own bond string," Clint explained. "But I can't find it."

"Well, it could be because its part of you?" Phil suggested. "We could get Lisa to see, if you really want. Why? Want to find someone to bond with?"

"No, I..." Clint hesitated, blushing, before sighing and rolling over it was stupid.

"You wanted to bond with me?" Phil asked softly, and Clint felt the bed sink as Phil slipped onto the bed.

"Maybe, yeah," Clint admitted.

"You know if you bond, then you might not be a Bondbreaker anymore," Coulson pointed out as he wrapped his arms around Clint. "Matchmakers are only Matchmakers after their bond is broken."

"I never wanted to be a Bondbreaker, Phil, I just wanted to be... normal and have bonded out there," Clint said softly. "Really wish I had been your Bonded actually."

"I suppose we can ask her," Phil said.

"Really?" Clint asked, turning to look at him. "You wanna be stuck with me?"

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere," Phil said. "If it takes bonding with you to get that through your thick skull, then so be it. I just want you to be happy."

"But do you want rebond?" Clint asked.

"I never thought I'd be given the chance, so I never thought about it," Phil admitted, "But I suppose if it was with the right person, then yeah." He paused. "Don't even ask if you're the right person, you know the answer to that."

Clint closed his mouth, rolling over, so that he could look at Phil, "Yeah, I do..."

Phil kissed him, slow, long and deep. "Good, I'll have Natasha call in the morning, okay?"

"Yeah," Clint agreed, pushing Phil onto to his back as he pressed into him for another kiss. He didn't know if he could be bonded to Phil, but he supposed it didn't matter, because neither of them were going anywhere.

**Author's Note:**

> Consent issues: Bonds between people that abuse one member of the bond, and one for the bondbreaker breaking the bond while a member of the bond is unconscious and unable to consent (though they straight up told them, they would prefer it)


End file.
